Reed's Raiders
by LadyRainbow
Summary: Set in Season 3 between "Harbinger" and "Hatchery". Reed, Hayes and their teams must save Enterprise from pirates...by acting like pirates. Please R&R Thanks COMPLETE w/Ch.7
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: This story is set in Season 3, between "Harbinger" and "Hatchery." The given date for "Harbinger" is 12/27/2153, for "Doctor's Orders" is "unknown" and the next episode, "Hatchery" is given as 1/8/2154. Dates are listed on Memory Alpha's website. So "Reed's Raiders" happens sometime between those two dates. **

**Why during this period of time? I wanted the MACOs on the ship, and I needed Hayes and Hawkins alive. Also, although Hayes and Malcolm have had that big bust-up in "Harbinger", the two guys still aren't seeing eye to eye.**

**Also, you'll see a veritable who's who of characters, including Philippe Trieste (he's still a Crewman here and Travis's Gamma Shift helmsman, **_**before **_**"Boomer Bust"), some of Hayes's MACOs, Mike Rostov and David Kelby.**

**Rating: T**

**R/S implied (and maybe a bit of Hayes/Sato). TnT

* * *

**

**One**

"Begging the Major's pardon, but can you give it a rest?"

Hayes gave the shuttle pilot a droll look. "Distracting you from your flying, Ensign?"

Ensign Travis Mayweather sighed and rolled his eyes. Then he replied, "No, sir. It's just that you've been going over those simulation results for nearly four hours now. I suppose MACOs aren't supposed to get tired?"

A dry smile appeared on his lips and he asked with a touch of sarcasm, "And Fleeters get the required eight hours of sleep every night?"

To Hayes's surprise, Mayweather chuckled as he made another course correction. "Okay, _that's_ a myth if I ever heard one. I don't think _anyone_'s gotten eight hours of sleep since we entered the Expanse." There was a hint of earnest seriousness under the humor. "Especially the captain."

Hayes grunted. The rumors aboard the ship said that Captain Archer's single-minded pursuit of the Xindi had crossed the line between duty and obsession. It didn't help that he had Commander Tucker on board, either. Granted, Tucker had lost his sister in the Xindi attack, but he wasn't the only one. Corporal Amanda Cole's hometown in Florida had also been destroyed, and others had lost people as well.

Of course, it was unprofessional for him to criticize his superior officers, even if he disagreed with their behavior. He was a soldier, and soldiers obeyed their orders; it wasn't his place to question them. At least, he and his MACOs got along with some of the Fleeters. Travis Mayweather and Hoshi Sato, for instance.

And his thoughts went to the other man in the shuttlepod following them. He and Lieutenant Malcolm Reed had come to...an agreement of sorts. Hayes wouldn't call it a truce; there were still times when Reed could be a real pain in the ass. He couldn't understand how a man with such strict military upbringing could whine so much. Then again, Hayes couldn't argue with the fact that Reed knew more than he did at engineering, and Reed was a decent tactician.

_Maybe there's some redeeming qualities to the Brit after all. _Hayes's mouth threatened to twitch into a smile. _He does have a dry sense of humor that can be...well, wicked._

"Shuttlepod One to Shuttlepod Two."

_Speak of the devil_, Hayes thought. He turned back to his PADD as Mayweather answered Reed's hail. "Go ahead, Lieutenant."

"We're coming to the rendezvous coordinates," Malcolm said. "Inform Major Hayes that the exercise will commence in one hour."

Hayes raised his voice. "Acknowledged, Lieutenant. Good luck to your team, and may the best man win."

He could hear the wolf baring his teeth. "Likewise, Major. Shuttlepod One out."

Mayweather sighed and hit the comm button with his elbow. "I thought you guys made up after you basically beat the crap out of each other."

"We did...in a way, Ensign," Hayes replied. "It doesn't mean that I'm going to let up on the lieutenant on our training exercises."

Again, Mayweather's chuckle startled him. "Didn't think you would, sir."

Hayes laughed and closed his PADD. He was surprised and grateful that Mayweather didn't hold any grudges after his MACO had basically beat him to a pulp in the gym. Now that he'd gotten to know the ensign better, Hayes appreciated the younger man's talent in jujitsu, especially after Hayes had been taken down several times in other matches.

He glanced at his team, which comprised of a curious mix of his MACOs and the Fleeters. Corporal Sascha Money, Corporal Fiona MacKenzie and Sergeant Ray Laney. Rounding out his assault team was Ensign Lori D'Angelo, Crewman William Bailey and Ensign Marisal Villabuena from the Armory; Lieutenant Kelby and Crewman Rostov from Engineering, and Crewman Cutler from Medical.

"All right," he said aloud. "Let's go over our assignments again..."

* * *

"Very well, let's make sure we do this right, ladies and gentlemen," announced Lieutenant Malcolm Reed. He regarded his assault team, which gave him his undivided attention. At the helm of Shuttlepod One was Crewman Philippe Trieste, who was Travis Mayweather's Gamma shift helmsman. The other members consisted of Corporals Hawkins and Chang, Gunny Sergeant McGruver, Corporal Cole, Lieutenant Anna Hess and Crewman Sean McIntyre from Engineering; Ensigns Bernhard Mueller and Danna Welsh from the Armoryand Doctor Phlox. 

Malcolm had designed a search and destroy mission on a nearby asteroid. Somewhere on that piece of rock was a false transmitter sending a random signal. The teams' goal was to locate it, get to it and destroy it, then return to _Enterprise_. Of course, Malcolm had confidence that _his_ team would complete their objective before Hayes's.

"Reed's Raiders. Got a kinda ring to it."

"What?" Malcolm asked, his concentration broken.

Lieutenant Hess cleared her throat and turned red. "A name for our group, sir. Ensign Sato needed call signs for the groups and Commander Tucker suggested a few to her."

"It _does_ have a nice ring to it," Ensign Welsh admitted.

Malcolm bit back a smile. "Reed's Raiders. Then how did Commander Tucker designate the major's team?" To his surprise, Corporal Hawkins actually answered; Hawkins was usually so quiet it made _Malcolm _seem chatty.

"Major Hayes and Commander Tucker had a few discussions, sir, but they settled on 'Hayes' Hellraisers'."

"That's catchy," remarked Corporal Chang.

"I suppose it sounds more dignified than "Hayes' Hooligans'," Malcolm mused under his breath. He didn't miss Gunny Sergeant McGruyver's snort of derision. "I was just pointing out the less palatable alternatives, Gunny. No offense."

"Right," McGruyver muttered. Malcolm allowed himself a grin at the gunny's disbelief. Despite the Gunny's suspicion of Fleeters, and his personal dislike of Malcolm after the bust-up in the gym, Gunny was a good man to have at your side. The enlisted man knew more about defense tactics than he and Hayes combined.

Laughter rang through the Shuttlepod and as it faded, a sense of focus and purpose returned. Malcolm was proud at how his team was able to get back to the job at hand. Sure enough, a sharp beep echoed from the comm.

"Ah, there it is," came the deep Germanic voice of Ensign Bernhard Mueller. "Found the transmitter signal, Lieutenant. Heading one one three mark four."

"Good work, Ensign," Malcolm said. "Crewman Trieste?"

"Course laid and locked in, sir," Trieste replied smartly, and the shuttlepod began to descend. Then the shuttlepod rocked hard. A second time. A third time.

"Crewman?" Malcolm barked. "What's going on?"

"Incoming!" Mueller yelled as Trieste yanked the stick hard to port. Malcolm gestured for the assault team to secure themselves as he pulled the tactical console toward him. Hess slid into the engineering station, while Doctor Phlox retrieved the emergency medkit from its niche in the wall.

Malcolm stared at the multiple signals on the screen. "Oh bloody hell."

* * *

"Multiple sensor signals coming in on an intercept course," reported Subcommander T'Pol. She gazed intently at her viewfinder. 

"Can you identify them?" Captain Archer asked from his command chair. He didn't expect either of the training teams back so soon. "Xindi?"

"No, sir, not Xindi." T'Pol's voice held the barest glimmer of distaste. "Nausicaan pirates. I'm reading at least five ships and three smaller vessels."

"Polarize the hull. Crewman Visati, evasive action. Tactical alert."

Visati nodded and followed the captain's orders as the alert rang throughout the ship. Again, Archer wished Malcolm were here on the bridge. He glanced at Hoshi Sato, who shook her head. The Nausicaans were not likely to negotiate; of course, they would attack when his Armory Officer and the MACO commander were off-ship.

"Captain, I'm reading torpedo launches," reported Crewman DeLorean from Tactical. "Four, _eight_—"

"What?" Archer burst out.

"Confirmed, Captain," T'Pol chimed in. "Eight separate signals."

"Fire countermeasures, Mister DeLorean. Mister Visati, evade however you can." Although Visati was a good helmsman, he wasn't as skilled as Travis Mayweather or Philippe Trieste.

Then _Enterprise_ rocked under a torpedo that impacted against its hull plating.


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: How are our heroes getting out of this one? And what can Malcolm and Hayes do to retake **_**Enterprise**_

**Rating: T

* * *

**

**Two**

Commander Trip Tucker tried to regain his footing in the wake of another blast from the Nausicaans. He reached and grabbed a crewman before he tumbled over the railing. He punched the button on the comm. "Tucker!"

"Trip, we might be having company. Seal off engineering, now!"

"No problem, Cap'n," Trip shouted back. He managed to get to the main control panel and input the commands. The satisfying grinding of gears told him the emergency bulkheads were on their way down, then an abrupt crash sealed Engineering off from the rest of the ship.

"They can't get here now, can't they, Commander?"

Trip glanced down at the young crewman and shook his head. Her face was determined, but her large eyes told him she was still scared out of her wits. After a year in the Expanse, they were all better at hiding their fear, but it didn't mean it didn't exist.

She looked so vulnerable; it reminded him painfully of Lizzie.

"Not through the front door, Tasha, but we're gonna be ready for 'em, just in case. Can you help me?"

Tasha gulped, but nodded. She followed her commanding officer with sure steps, even as the deck rolled under them.

* * *

The Nausicaans beamed directly to the Bridge, but the Bridge crew was ready for them. Crewman Ajala at Communications swung around and punched her attacker in the gut as he reached for her. T'Pol caught another one's arm and swung him around, then downed him with a nerve pinch. Archer gave a third one a classic right cross, then a left one, and he went down.

A cloud of noxious green smoke poured from the vents. Archer only had a second to realize it before it swept over the Bridge. He staggered backward, hit his command chair, then collapsed on the deck behind it. His last vision was of T'Pol sinking to her knees behind the science station, one hand at her throat. Then he blacked out.

* * *

"There's some debris around _Enterprise_," reported Bernhard Mueller. "It looks like they managed to get some of the ships, but I'm still reading one capital ship and two smaller ones. One of the smaller ones have docked at the starboard docking port."

"Damn," Malcolm swore. That meant the Nausicaans had an incursion team in place. "How much longer until we can reach _Enterprise_?"

"Fifteen minutes before we show up on the Nausicaans' sensors," Bernhard replied. "And it looks like the larger ship's taking some kind of patrol stance."

"Shuttlepod One to Shuttlepod Two," came Major Hayes's voice over the comm.

"Shuttlepod Two. Major, are you seeing what we're seeing?"

"I'm seeing that we need to retake the ship, Lieutenant."

"Indeed. Any suggestions, Major?" Malcolm reminded himself that he and Hayes were on a truce and that his Security people were working _with _the MACOs, not against them. Still, he knew what Hayes would say...

"We dock the shuttlepods, we eject the Nausicaans and free the crew."

Malcolm smirked. _Yes, exactly that, Major. Thank you. _"Pretty straightforward. We've got to sneak past the other Nausicaan ships—"

The pod shook again under laser fire. Philippe Trieste swore under his breath in French, then added, "I think that will be difficult, _lieutenant_. The main Nausicaan ship has found us."

"We're unarmed," Crewman McIntyre said. "How're we—"

Reed grinned and said, "We'll improvise, Mister McIntyre. Reed to Mayweather!"

"Mayweather!" came Travis's voice over the comm.

"Initiate Gamma-Tango-Alpha, Travis."

"_Gamma-Tango-Alpha_, aye, sir!"

Malcolm glanced over at Trieste. "Gamma-Tango-Beta, Mister Trieste."

"Yes, sir!"

* * *

"You might want to sit down and strap in, sir," Travis told Major Hayes. "This could get a bit hairy."

"What are you _doing_?" Hayes shouted, as Travis turned the shuttlepod around and headed straight for the Nausicaan cruiser behind them. Laser beams peppered the space around them, but Travis adjusted the attitude controls so they just missed the pod. There was a flash of a torpedo, so Travis hit the throttle and skimmed the outer skin of the cruiser.

"Holy—" choked Corporal Money. Her face was beginning to turn an interesting shade of green. Even the Fleeters looked a bit sick. Crewman Rostov gripped the arms of his seat with white-knuckled intensity.

Proximity alarms screeched warnings. Hayes was about to open his mouth to shout, "Pull up!" when Travis did so. The torpedo following them couldn't adjust in time and it slammed against the cruiser's own shields. The shields fizzled out in a spectacular show of fiery sparks.

Hayes swore as the G-forces slammed him back into his seat and his vision darkened for a few seconds. He clawed his way back to consciousness to see Travis glancing at him over his shoulder.

"Everyone all right?"

_Hell_, no! Hayes wanted to scream, but he reminded himself that Mayweather had just saved their lives. There were weak assurances from the assault team; Crewman Cutler was already checking pulses and dealing with minor cuts and bruises.

"I think so," he answered instead. "What kind of stunt was _that_, Ensign?"

"Diversionary tactic," Travis replied. He pointed his chin at the cruiser. "They've stopped shooting at us and _that_'s why."

Hayes gazed at Shuttlepod Two, already at the Nausicaans starboard docking port.

* * *

"Ensign Mueller, you take your team and secure Engineering. Mine will head towards the Bridge."

"Aye, sir," Bernhard replied. He led Hess, McIntyre, Chang and Hawkins off in one direction, while Malcolm gestured for the others to follow him.

The Nausicaan pirates fought back with everything they had, but Malcolm calmly directed the strikes. Gunny and Cole were two of the top rated sharpshooters on the ship; he'd specifically picked them on his team (he wished he had McKenzie as well, but Hayes had drawn the line). His respect for Cole, especially, went up considerably.

_When she's not distracted by Mister Tucker, she's can get the job done._ She nodded at him and reported, "Corridor clear, sir."

"Good job, Corporal, Gunny, everyone," he said. "Now comes the hard part."

The Nausicaan had isolated themselves on their Bridge, but Gunny placed a few well-positioned charges and kicked the door in. Malcolm nodded at him as they plowed onto the Bridge and together, the MACOs and the Fleeters made short work of the Nausicaans.

"Ensign Trieste, take the helm." Malcolm ordered. Then he opened a channel to Engineering. "Lieutenant Hess?"

"Engineering's secure, Lieutenant," came Anna's voice.

"Good work." He nodded at Ensign Welsh, who sat at the comm station. "Hail Shuttlepod One. Tell Travis he can bring the others aboard."

* * *

"Couldn't have done it better myself," Hayes grudgingly admitted. "Although I'd probably have taken it a bit easier on the kamikaze piloting, Ensign Mayweather."

Travis chuckled and shrugged good-naturedly, as the rest of Hayes's team groaned. Cutler, in particular, looked ready to anesthesize him. "Hey, it worked, didn't it, Major?"

His remark brought laughter from the reunited strike teams. Hayes tried to glare at him, but wasn't successful. "All right," Hayes conceded with a grin and a wave of his hand. "We've got a pirate ship to operate from. Now we can get _Enterprise _back."

Malcolm nodded. "Ensign Trieste, Ensign Mayweather, set a course for _Enterprise_."

"Aye, sir," both men chorused.

"We need a plan of attack, Lieutenant. I suggest that we---"

Corporal Hawkins raised his hand and interrupted, "Permission to speak, sir?"

Hayes glanced at Malcolm, who nodded, then Hayes replied, "Go ahead, Corporal."

"I was thinking, sir...we've got one of their ships, but what if the Nausicaans find out _we're_ aboard and decide to take a potshot at us before we could engage them on _our_ ship?"

"Boy's got a point," Gunny agreed.

An unexpected voice said, "If I may, I have a suggestion."

Malcolm looked over at Doctor Phlox, who had stood up respectfully. He wondered what the doctor had in mind, then remembered, _He used to be a combat medic with the Denobulan infantry. He's seen war before. _Phlox was so easygoing; it was easy to forget that fact.

"Go ahead, Doctor."

"I believe some subterfuge may be in order, Lieutenant, Major. The Nausicaans expect their own kind, pirates. So if we convince them we're on _their_ side—"

"We play pirate?" asked Corporal Chang. He sounded like a little kid who'd just been given permission to raid his father's clothes closet.

"---they will lower their defenses enough for us to achieve our mission," Phlox concluded, with a fatherly grin towards Chang.

Malcolm nodded and said, "That could work."

Gunny sighed and asked, "We don't have to dress the part, do we? I'm too old for this."

"It'll be for communications, Gunny," Lieutenant Kelby pointed out. "The Nausicaans will probably be monitoring communications. I don't think we need to make a fashion statement."

"Reed's Raiders and Hayes' Hellraisers," Anna Hess quipped. "We already got the names."

"Oh, Lord," Hayes muttered and rolled his eyes. "I'm a MACO, not a pirate."

"Think of it as another training simulation, Major," Malcolm said. "Our objective is still to retake _Enterprise_ and kick the Nausicaans off our ship." A smirk played on his lips. "All in favor, say 'aye'."

"Aye!" roared the others.

Hayes sighed and shook his head, but only shrugged in agreement.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: Yup, two chapters in one day. I really had fun writing this one and I wanted to finish this before the night was out. Hoshi gets to help defend the ship and Malcolm appoints himself chief of the "merry band of pirates".**

**And the **_**Ch'Havran**_** mention is from Diane Duane's books "My Enemy, My Ally" and "The Romulan Way".**

**Spoilers: A really slight one for ENT "Shockwave, Pt. II"**

**Rating: T

* * *

**

**Three**

_I will _never_ go into another crawlspace again in my lifetime,_ Hoshi Sato vowed to herself. The last time she was in one, she'd lost her shirt and embarrassed herself in front of a superior officer--- Malcolm Reed, of all people. She recalled his dumbstruck expression, his own dismay at seeing her topless, his bewilderment at her curt order, "Just get me a shirt."

Actually, he'd been rather cute, if she hadn't had other things on her mind at the time.

Now it was completely different. She wished that all she was doing was crawling her way to Malcolm's quarters. Malcolm wasn't even on board the ship. Hoshi closed her eyes and controlled her breathing. _Luck of the stars that I wasn't on board the Bridge, _she thought, _but it was a close call. If Ensign Valentine hadn't suffered that burn and the captain hadn't ordered me to take her to Sickbay, I'd be stuck up there._

Three minutes, three minutes between the time the lift doors closed and the gas spread over the Bridge. Then the lift had jerked to a stop. She and Valentine had managed to get out of the lift and squeeze into a wall conduit. They mutually agreed to head towards Engineering, but were separated in the chaos that rocked the ship. So Hoshi found herself alone.

She missed Valentine. She missed Malcolm. Travis. Bernhard. Liz. Mike Rostov. Anna Hess. Even that gallantly annoying Major Hayes. Her mouth quirked upward. For a man whom the Starfleet contingent dubbed "Horrible Hayes", the major really wasn't too bad. Self-effacing, polite, handsome...

_...and arrogant, inflexible and a martinet to boot. _Hoshi sighed. _And you'd thought _Malcolm_ was the same way. Why am I comparing the two? They're cut from the same cloth, as Trip said. _Hoshi gave herself a mental smack on the forehead. _Trip. Engineering. Right._

The conduits didn't look any prettier on this second trip through. She peered through a gap in the wall to see two tall Nausicaans dragging a third person between them. _T'Pol. _The Vulcan hung limply, as if she was hurt or unconscious. Anger rose in Hoshi's throat and she crawled forward.

Soon, they paused in front of a door. Not T'Pol's quarters, but Hoshi figured it was a storage room of some sort. She froze as one of the men spoke. "The chief doesn't want to harm any of them," he spat in disgust. "Slaves are worth more if they're in one piece."

_Slaves? _Hoshi swallowed hard and continued listening.

"He has a point," the second Nausicaan pointed out, "but he didn't say we couldn't discipline them if they don't follow orders. There's more of 'em hiding; we've got to round 'em up before the rendezvous."

"Yes, we can't afford to miss that. The boss wants to make sure he collects the Klingon bounty for Archer. It'll be enough for all of us to buy our own ships!" The communicator on his belt screeched; he gripped T'Pol with one beefy hand and snatched it with his other hand. "Qarluy. What?"

"Dakmak needs help on F Deck. He needs more explosives to get through the bulkhead covering the entrance to their weapons room," growled a voice. Hoshi couldn't tell if it was female or male, Nausicaan or otherwise. "There are five, six Humans in there that are beginning to get on my nerves."

Quarluy snorted and replied, "Dakmak's incompetent. He's more likely to blow himself up and the weapons room as well, then _your _monopoly on the black arms market has gone up as well." The first Nausicaan snickered quietly in agreement; Quarluy only waggled his eyebrows and continued, "If you'd listened to _me_ in the first place, we'd have them all confined by now!"

The unseen voice sputtered incoherently for a few moments, then it said, "Make sure the Vulcan is secured, then go help Dakmak. We need those weapons under our control. Out."

Hoshi stifled a smile; at least the intruders hadn't gotten to Malcolm's Armory. So, the Nausicaans _hadn't_ taken complete control of the ship yet. There had to be pockets of Starfleet and MACOs resisting them, like Malcolm's Armory people. She felt an irrational surge of pride for her crew.

Quarluy growled again, this time in frustration. "Put her in, Shiktos. Then—" he paused and looked around, finally settling on the panel in the ceiling above—the same panel Hoshi was lying on. "So, what do we have here? I believe we have another surprise, right here—"

T'Pol exploded into action. She twisted out of the Nausicaans' grip and slammed her boot into Shiktos's midsection. Hoshi took a deep breath and launched herself out of the conduit port in the wall, landing directly upon Quarluy's shoulders. The Nausicaan roared and tried to dislodge her from her perch, but she balled up both fists and soundly boxed the man's ears. He staggered, off balance, and she smoothly leaped to the floor, rolled and was back on her feet.

"Impertinent female!" Quarlay roared and threw a blind punch. She sidestepped it, allowed his own momentum to carry him past her, then she took hold of his arm and redirected him into the wall. Quarlay ran into it with a definite smack, then sank down to the floor.

"Are you all right?" Hoshi asked as she saw T'Pol rise from where she'd nerve-pinched Shiktos.

"I am well," T'Pol answered. "Help me put them in this room."

It took some creative judgment of space, but Hoshi and T'Pol managed to stuff both Nausicaans into the storage room and lock the door. The Vulcan nodded in satisfaction. "I suggest we make haste to Engineering. The Nausicaans are sweeping through the ship at a rapid pace."

"Lead on," Hoshi said, and both women hurried down the hall.

* * *

A search of the Nausicaans' ship revealed some details about the pirates. Both Malcolm and Hayes were startled at the sheer _volume_ of goods that were in the ship's not-so-small cargo holds. Silks in all colors, costumes in all styles, exotic foodstuffs and rare jewelry. Deadly bladed weapons, whips and gauntlets were in proud display in crew quarters.

"My God, this whole ship's a treasure chest," muttered Hayes. "I wonder how many cargo ships they plundered to get all this stuff."

"Travis is looking through their manifests and logs right now," Malcolm said, his voice in grim agreement. "His family's tangled with Nausicaan pirates before. There aren't any love lost between them and Travis."

"Understandable." The major whistled as he held up a glass bottle to the light. The label was written in some unknown language. "Some kind of ale. It's not Andorian."

"How would you know that, Major?" Malcolm asked, with a touch of humor.

Hayes shrugged. "Trust me on this one." He read the one word that was legible, "_Ch'Havran_. Wonder if that's where it comes from."

"Or maybe it's the name of their distiller."

"Maybe."

He scowled and shook his head. "This whole ship is a floating evidence locker."

Hayes raised an eyebrow. "Thinking like an investigator."

"Of course." Malcolm gave the cargo hold another glance. "If I owned any of this, I'd want it back."

"Yeah, me too. I'll make sure to tell my people to leave everything where it should be."

"Thank you, Major." He didn't think the MACOs would pilfer any of the stolen cargo; Hayes trained his people better than that. It was a comfort, small as it was.

Malcolm's communicator beeped and he flipped it open. "Reed."

"Lieutenant, we've got _Enterprise_ on our sensors. The Nausicaans are hailing us," answered Travis.

Malcolm and Hayes exchanged looks. "We're on our way up."

* * *

By the time they reached the Bridge, two things were obvious: the Nausicaans knew that their ship had been appropriated by someone else and they were demanding to know who now controlled their cruiser.

"They want their stuff back," Travis said, matter-of-factly, though there was no humor in his voice.

Malcolm thought for a moment, then an evil smirk bloomed onto his face. Travis saw it; he and Philippe Trieste looked at each other, then at Rostov at the engineering station and Danna Welsh at the weapons console. They all had the same thought.

"Oh, crap," Mike Rostov said aloud.

"What?" asked Corporal Chang, with a quizzical look on his face. He glanced at Hayes, but the major seemed just as confused. Hayes took one step away from Malcolm and his expression went from confused to guarded.

"Lieutenant. You're scaring me."

Malcolm lightly went down the stairs to the empty command chair and sat down in it like a king settling on his throne. He waved a lazy hand at Bernhard Mueller at communications. "Accept the transmission, Bernhard, but audio only. No video."

"_Jawohl, Herr Kapitaen_," Bernhard replied crisply. The Bavarian swung around in his chair and pushed a few buttons. "Link established."

"—the _moska_ are you? I demand to know what you've done with my crew—"

Malcolm gave a theatrical sigh and interrupted the Nausicaan's rant. "They're all tucked away in the various airlocks, sir. I assume you want them back? Good help is hard to find nowadays."

The Nausicaan leader sputtered like a dying gas engine. Rostov choked down a giggle as Hawkins and Hayes stared at each other. Travis clapped both hands over his mouth. Danna coughed under her hand.

"Who are you?" It sounded as if every word was forced out, like pulling a diseased tooth.

"A businessman, like yourself. It sounds like you need help securing this pretty prize, eh?" Malcolm's accent was heavier than his usual; they all could imagine him as one of Blackbeard's men. Travis and Bernhard realized they had the same hilarious thought and nearly lost it right there. Malcolm resolutely ignored both of them.

"We had first claim on it, fair and share."

"Indeed?" Malcolm turned towards Danna Welsh and mouthed an order. "Perhaps, but can you defend yourself against...this? Fire."

Lasers jumped from the Nausicaan ship and passed within a thousand meters of _Enterprise_'s port nacelle. Malcolm nodded again, and this time, another beam came close to the starboard nacelle.

Travis nearly leaped out of the helm chair and Rostov looked panicked at how close Danna's shots were to blowing _Enterprise_ to hell. Danna looked at her superior officer with a cool expression and raised her right hand, with her index and thumb only inches apart.

The Nausicaan sounded as panicked as Rostov looked. "All right, all right! We might need a little assistance."

"Good man," Malcolm said, his voice a low purr. "Now, according to our scans, you have less than twenty-five men on board. Poor planning. I offer my services and I can reassure you, my men are good at what they do. All we ask is a share of the profit."

There was a pause, then the Nausicaan said, "Very well, come aboard and we'll talk."

"Jolly good. Let me warn you," and Malcolm lowered his voice even further into a menacing growl, "if you attack us, we will not hesitate to seek repayment. My weapons officer has an itchy trigger finger and it would be a pity to destroy such a valuable prize with _you_ on board."

"You have my word, Friend."

"We'll see how trustworthy it is..._Friend_. See you in a few moments. Out." Malcolm made a gesture and Bernhard closed the channel.

Silence. Then Travis burst out in a howl of laughter and that set everyone else off. Malcolm glanced at Hawkins and Chang, who were both nearly helpless with mirth. Even Hayes' mouth twitched and the major was trying his damnedest to keep a straight face. And he was still failing.

"Do they teach Acting 101 during Starfleet training?" Hayes asked.

"No, they do it during the six-week Security orientation," Malcolm replied, deadpan. He raised his eyebrows. "Gunny will be so disappointed. It appears that we will have to dress up as pirates after all."


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: Remember those old radio programs, where you had to use your imagination as you heard the story unfold? That gave me an idea for this chapter. **

**Rating: T

* * *

**

**Four**

"We got people resistin' on all decks," Trip reported. "A group in the Armory, the bunch here in Engineering, and I hear Chef and Cunningham pelted the Nausicaans there with last night's chicken soup. Reheated and studded with chopped chiles, if I heard Cunningham right."

"Yeech," Hoshi said with a wince. "That had to hurt."

T'Pol nodded, impressed with human ingenuity in the face of overwhelming odds. "Any word from either Lieutenant Reed's or Major Hayes's team?"

"None. As far as we know, they're still racin' each other. When they get back, they're gonna have one hell of a surprise. We gotta retake the ship 'fore they get back, or the Nausicaans might blow 'em out of the sky."

T'Pol glanced at the warp core and asked, "You took the warp drive off-line?"

"An' blocked helm access to impulse. We ain't goin' anywhere. Hoshi, is there a way to let Malcolm or Hayes know what's happened to _Enterprise_?"

"Not without knowing exactly where they are," Hoshi replied with a rueful shake of her head. "Malcolm's beacon was in an asteroid; if they're inside it, it'll be impossible to hail them."

Crewman Masaro called from the upper deck, "Sub-commander, Commander, Ensign, you might want to hear this."

They climbed the ladder to Masaro's side. He sat at one of the consoles and continued, "I tried patching in those cross-circuits like you suggested, Ensign Sato. I think we're going to have company."

"The Nausicaans called their friends?" Trip asked with a sinking feeling in his gut.

"Um...sort of."

The speakers roared, then settled into a conversation. "...welcome here. We are having some trouble with resistance from Archer's crew; they're quite annoying."

"Well, you just have to know how to drag them out of hiding," came an irritated voice. Trip started and glanced at T'Pol, whose eyebrow climbed to her hairline and stayed there.

"Is that...Malcolm?" Trip asked in a hushed whisper.

Hoshi nodded, thunderstruck. "That _sounds _like him."

"Quiet," T'Pol ordered.

"...my team has experience in such things. We can take care of them in one fell swoop." There was a pause. "Take care of it, will you?"

A new voice broke in. "We're gonna do it without any guarantee this sorry excuse for a pirate won't double cross us? I want some compensation."

"Holy—" Trip whispered. The tone was wholly unlike the one he was used to from this particular person. "_Hayes??"_

Hoshi clapped her hands over her mouth and tried to stifle her giggles. "I've never heard the major whine like that before. He sounds like a petulant five-year-old."

T'Pol looked like she was going to make a comment, but chose not to share it. Her mouth twitched once, but she sternly brought it under control. That one gesture was more than enough for Trip and Hoshi to know what the Vulcan was thinking.

"He's right. Can we stun the Nausicaans? Just for fun?" came a woman's voice.

"That's Sascha. Corporal Money," Hoshi clarified.

Malcolm paused, then said, "Only if they interfere. All right, any booty or valuables you pick up, you're welcome to it."

Then Travis's voice piped up, "That includes women?"

Someone tittered, then Hawkins, of all people, snapped, "God, are you _that _desperate?"

Hoshi lost it; the vision of a quiet one like Hawkins saying such a thing was too much. She laughed so hard she had to wrap her arms around herself to keep her ribs from flying off. Trip only shook his head in complete and utter astonishment. Masaro looked like he wanted off this ship of loonies. And most of the Engineering crew had crowded the deck and the ladder to overhear the conversation.

And everyone hung on to every word that was being said, as if it was one of those ancient radio programs like "The Shadow" or "Superman."

"Is this being aired to the rest of the ship?" Trip asked.

Masaro glanced at Hoshi, who looked at the readings on the console. She nodded.

"Oh God," someone muttered.

"You lookin' for someone in particular?" sniggered a gravelly voice. _Gunny Sergeant McGruyver. _"Someone exotic?"

Hayes broke in. "I prefer brunette beauties myself. Small, slight and feisty. If I find her, I'll make sure she's worth our while."

Hoshi coughed, causing everyone in the room to stare at her. "I doubt the major referred to you specifically, Ensign," T'Pol said blandly.

Trip muttered something that T'Pol didn't catch, but Hoshi did, and Hoshi glared at him.

Then Malcolm's voice returned, "If you find her, bring her to _me_. If you hurt any of the females, I will _personally_ snap your neck." And judging from the icy tone, Malcolm would, too. "Take your team and round up the defenders. Tell them we mean business and if they don't cooperate, they will regret it."

There was a pause, then Hayes replied, "Go to hell. No one orders _me_ around."

Engineering was so quiet; Trip figured he could drop his spanner and no one would notice. "Don't you think they're overdoing it a bit?" he whispered.

"I believe that if the Nausicaans think the lieutenant's group is fractured, then the Nausicaans will overplay their hand," T'Pol commented.

"I dunno. They sound pretty genuinely pissed at each other. And they damn near killed each other in the gym—"

"Sssssh!" everyone hushed him. It reminded Trip of Movie Nights in the Mess Hall. No one appreciated his whispered commentaries there, either.

There was the sound of scuffling, some yelling, then an abrupt silence. Then someone—Bernhard Mueller?—commented, "_Ach, meine Gute. _Ouch."

The Nausicaan came back on and asked, "I've seen that move before. Klingon?"

Malcolm's voice was smug as he replied, "He was helpless against it the first time, too."

There was a small cheer among the Engineering group; this time it was Trip who shushed them.

"You surprised me with it then, too," Hayes grumbled, but he sounded a lot more cordial. "Just you wait until I find a counter to it."

"Think about it..._while_ you round up the crew," Malcolm said. "Tell them what we're here for. If you find any of the senior officers that are missing, bring them to me. No exceptions, and if I hear you've damaged any of the merchandise, I'll kill you."

Hayes snorted, then there was the sound of boots on the deck, presumably of Hayes's team splitting off to follow orders. Then Malcolm's voice faded as he said to the Nausicaan, "I assume you have Archer? Perhaps we can make a deal with..."

T'Pol glanced at Hoshi and Masaro. "Can we track Lieutenant Reed?"

Hoshi shook her head and replied, "Not unless he goes by another open line, or he flips open his communicator where I can trace him...and that'll give him away, if he's playing pirate."

"What about the major?"

"Same thing, Sub-Commander."

"I got an idea," Trip spoke up. "Didn't Malcolm say that he's lookin' for any of the senior officers who's 'escaped'? What if one of us sets ourselves up to be 'captured' by one of their teams? We can find out just what they're planning, an' maybe help 'em with the Nausicaans."

T'Pol's eyebrow shot up again. "Assuming that is an option...which one of us shall be the bait?"

Trip and Hoshi looked at each other in silent communication. The silence stretched on for a few moments, then Hoshi sighed and rolled her eyes to the ceiling.

"I'll do it," she said, "but if Hayes or Malcolm tries anything, I'm gonna kill 'em."


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: The retaking of **_**Enterprise **_**has begun! You see some friendly teasing between the MACOS---something you didn't see on the series. Hayes has a plan to help Trip in Engineering...and he gets thrown for a loop by an unexpected "assault." **

**Rating: T

* * *

**

**Five**

"We have a lot in common, you and I. I think we can work well together."

Matthew Hayes scowled at the Nausicaan "escort" walking at his side. The smarmy tone grated on his nerves and behind him, both Money and McKenzie bristled as they picked up on his mood. Hayes was garishly attired in orange and green silk, with blaster, knife, and ammunition stuffed in his belt. Sascha Money and Fiona McKenzie wore long skirts slit high on the side, showing a judicious amount of leg as they moved, and tight leather bodices more appropriate for bar wenches than MACOs.

Gunny, who watched his back, reminded Hayes of a Boomer pilot, with shirt tucked into breeches, into high-heeled boots, and his ridiculously short gray hair hidden under a kerchief. Gunny's unhappy look wasn't feigned at all, and Hayes couldn't blame him.

_I'm a soldier, not a five-year-old trick or treater, _Hayes thought again, but he saw the glimmer of the deck lights on McKenzie's flawless skin, and mentally added, _but I guess there are some good things about this charade after all. _

"What do you mean, 'we can work well together', Sakosh?" Hayes asked.

"I see how much you resent your master," Sakosh replied, baring his teeth. "You hate him from your very core, enough to challenge his authority. I am sure that you would have beaten him, if given the chance."

Hayes raised his eyebrows. The words hit too close to home; he deftly steered the conversation away from him. "So, what about you? I take it you aren't happy with your current employment, either."

Sakosh spat on the pristine deck and Hayes resisted the urge to mop it up with the Nausicaan's face. "Soresh is a fool. He accepted help from the Orions to capture this ship, which he never should have done."

"Never should have captured the ship, or never should have asked the Orions?" He kept a straight face at this new revelation. It explained a lot of things, including how the Nausicaans were able to plan a cunning attack in the first place. _How can I let Lieutenant Reed know about this? _

Sakosh shrugged and answered, "You can never trust Orions where profit is concerned."

Hayes made a noise of agreement. They came to Cargo Bay One, where the Nausicaans had rounded up some of the _Enterprise _crew. "Some of the new slaves are in here. Sixteen, all under heavy guard. Most of them in technical fields, but some do not have any marketable skills. Sciences...they will make good manual labor somewhere. Do you wish to examine the cargo?"

His stomach turned at the Nausicaan's referring of the crew as "cargo". _If being a real pirate means being this immoral, I'm glad I'm a MACO. _It took Hayes an effort to keep his own tone casual. "No. I'll see 'em later, once we take care of our problem."

Sakosh nodded to the two Nausicaan guards as they went past. "I admire your self-control."

"Get the unpleasant business over with first, then you have more time to enjoy the spoils." He glanced at Gunny, who was still keeping an eye on their surroundings and one hand on his blaster. "Isn't that right, Gunny?"

"Yeah. I think we can all agree with that, Boss," Gunny replied, with a look at Money and McKenzie.

Sakosh grinned and said, "I can appreciate the sentiment. Another reason why I believe we can work well together."

"Don't try too hard," Money muttered under her breath. "Quit while you're ahead, Sakosh."

Hayes consulted a mental map of the ship and realized that they were a deck below Main Engineering. "Where are most of the defenders holed up?"

"Their engine room and their weapons room. We have control of almost every other important function." Sakosh replied, his voice laced with frustration. "We _must_ gain control of those strategic areas."

"What would you suggest we do, then?"

"Soresh is more concern about the worth of the equipment and weapons. He is afraid that too much force will cause more damage than he wants," Sakosh grumbled. "If I had my way, I would have cut into the barriers and overtaken the Humans a long time ago."

Hayes chuckled. "Spoken like a true Nausicaan. Brute force when you can do it."

"It has worked for us before. I see little reason to change it now. Soresh on the other hand, is weak-willed. He thinks he can bargain for more. He is greedy."

Hayes swallowed what he really wanted to say. "All right. How about we tackle Engineering first? More people, more resistance—" he gave Sakosh a tight smile, "more opportunity to get some frustration out, right?"

Sakosh laughed and pounded Hayes on the back. Although the major was not a small man, he nearly went flying down the corridor. Money slapped the Nausicaan's hand with her rifle. "Watch it," she hissed. "You hurt him, I hurt you."

Sakosh stared at her for a moment, then laughed again. "Your woman here values you much, it seems. I suppose you are fortunate, that you have such loyal female company to guard your back and warm your bed."

Hayes rolled his eyes and bit his tongue. Judging from Sascha's furious expression, she'd pound him no matter _what_ he said. _Women, _he thought with grim humor. _I can't win._ He wisely kept his mouth shut.

Gunny chuckled and said, "Don't underestimate them, Sakosh. They can be dangerous. I can remember them leaving a mark or two in my time."

"In your dreams, Gunny," McKenzie said amicably.

"Every night, Mac," Gunny replied.

"You must be so sleep deprived."

Hayes shook his head and tried not to smile. "Enough, you two. We've got a job to do. Sakosh, how many of your people are outside the engine room right now?"

"Eight, not counting the members of _your_ band" Sakosh replied, putting emphasis on that word.

"Good." He waved Sakosh to go up the ladder first. "Go on. If I get the feeling you're pulling something on us, I won't hesitate to shoot you in the back. Understand?"

"Understood, but like I said, I think we can work together well. You know, you haven't even given me your name."

Hayes shrugged. "I give it to those who're entitled. Which you aren't."

Sakosh sighed and began to climb the ladder. Hayes followed, with Money and McKenzie close behind. When they emerged through the hatch in front of Engineering, he saw a group of Nausicaans, plus Lieutenant Kelby, Crewman Rostov, Ensign Lori D'Angelo and Travis Mayweather. Rostov and Kelby were arguing over an exposed circuit panel in the wall, buying some time until Hayes and the others arrived.

"Forget knocking on the door. We're gonna kick it down," Hayes said with a dismissive wave of his hand. "Is communications working in there?"

"Should be," Rostov answered in a sullen voice.

"Who's in there?"

"That damn Vulcan," Kelby groused, "and her paramour."

_T'Pol and Tucker_, Hayes thought with a wicked smile. _Obviously, Kelby isn't fond of either one of them. _"Are the charges ready to go?"

"Whenever you say so," Travis answered with a huge grin.

"All right. Everyone take some kind of cover. Not gonna do any of us a bit of good if the blast knocks _us_ out, too." He waved at the joint Nausicaan/Human strike team, thinking _This is kinda screwed up, but if this works..._Deliberately, he punched the button to the intercom. "Last chance, Tucker. We've got explosives rigged out here. Give up and no one'll die unnecessarily."

Trip Tucker's scornful voice echoed in the hall. "Ya blow open the blast shield, we blow the warp core. Your choice, Hayes."

"You're bluffing, Tucker. You don't have the guts."

"Wanna bet? I'm not gonna let ya or that son-of-a-Brit take over the ship."

"Had your chance, Tucker. You'd better hope you go pretty quickly, 'cause I won't let that happen if I get a hold of your hide." He thumbed the com button, then flashed his team with hand signals. "All right, let's do our worst. Let 'em rip!"

Rostov glanced at Kelby, who nodded. He brandished the detonator, then pushed the button.

There was a sharp bang, then smoke poured from the blast shield. It spread quickly over the corridor, hiding everyone—and everything—from view. Hayes counted down the seconds, then Gunny shouted, right on cue, "Dammit, they've betrayed us!"

Someone else yelled, then the sound of laser fire rang around Hayes. Nausicaans fell as Hayes's team turned on their "allies" and made short work of them. Suddenly, a weight slammed into him and knocked him onto his back. Reflexes took over and he tried to throw his attacker off him, but another shockwave shook the corridor and sent him on his back again. The person on top of him was knocked flat on him and before he could react, a pair of lips locked onto his own.

_What the hell—?_ He choked as his brain froze and Major Matthew Hayes, MACO commander and career soldier, melted like overheated lead into the deck. Then abruptly, the kiss was done, and whoever it was had vanished. He lay there for a long minute, stunned, and tried to get his brain back into gear. _What the hell just happened??_

"Major? Major? You all right?" He tried to sit up and suddenly, he was aware of a faint scent. _Flowers? Why am I smelling flowers?_

"I'm fine," he replied hoarsely. "Just...got the wind knocked out of me." _Which isn't that far from the truth, _he thought wryly. Hayes looked up through the thinning veil of smoke and saw Nausicaans lying on the deck unconscious. Travis knelt on one side of him; Tucker on the other. Hayes realized that the commander had raised the blast shield covering Engineering.

"Major, everything's secure," McKenzie reported.

"I got a hidin' place prepared for our friends," Trip said. "Let's get 'em squared away."

Hayes nodded and calmly began issuing orders, not daring to betray the turmoil inside him.


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: I always wondered why Malcolm took Hawkins's death on the Xindi Sphere as hard as he did (I know Malcolm considered Hawkins his "responsibility", as he confessed to Hayes in "Countdown", but still...) This chapter suggests one explanation why.**

**You find out where Archer's been all this time, and yeah, what the heck happened at the end of the last chapter??? (grin) **

**Rating: T

* * *

**

**Six**

Malcolm strode down the corridor, back straight, eyes front, like the hardened pirate he "was". The blue silk shirt brought out the iciness of his eyes, tucked into pants and high boots. The gunbelt he wore held a wicked-looking dagger, a blaster and a nasty array of explosives. Part of him felt utterly ridiculous—he was an Armory officer, not an actor—but a bigger part of him was like a giddy schoolboy who was playing out a long-forgotten dream.

Although the head Nausicaan, Soresh, towered over Malcolm by half a foot, the pirate wrung his hands together as he gave Malcolm fearful glances. Directly behind them were Bernhard Mueller and Corporal Hawkins, both impressively dressed and armed to the teeth. Malcolm still had difficulty seeing Hawkins as a pirate; he seemed so young and clean-cut, even with the diamond stud in his ear and his hand on the bullwhip coiled on his belt.

_Yet Hawkins has already proven that he can surprise you. Odd, sometimes he reminds me of when I was younger: quiet, devoted to his duty, but can still do the unexpected._ _Perhaps it wouldn't be a bad idea to get to know this young man better. He would be a fine addition to any team. _Malcolm's mouth moved into a smile as he remembered how Hawkins had assisted them on the _Seleya_, where the Vulcans had been affected by the Trellium-D.

He sobered as he remembered Hayes's defiance. Of course, that had been part of the plan, for it wasn't unusual to find conflict among members of a group of pirates. Yet, Malcolm suspected that Hayes enjoyed the ruse just a little too much. Malcolm was thankful that at least Hayes carried out his end of the deal. He'd learned that you could only surprise the MACO only once; if Hayes had been serious, he wouldn't have fallen for the Klingon move a _second_ time unless it was on purpose.

_Bloody idiot._ He also didn't appreciate Hayes's remark about "small, slight and feisty brunettes." The major had looked directly at Reed and smirked as he said that remark; they both knew to whom Hayes referred. Malcolm hadn't been kidding when he'd threatened to kill Hayes if he even _touched _Hoshi. Now that he thought about it, why _had _he reacted that way?

And why had Travis, Bernhard and the others exchanged knowing looks?

Malcolm shied away from the thought. Much as he hated to admit it, thinking about the major made him touchy, edgy and irritable. In other words, just like the head of a band of space pirates _should _be. _Damn the man. First he wants my job, now he wants my friend. He's a thorn in my side._

"I've thought about your proposal about splitting the bounty on Archer—"

Malcolm turned to the Nausicaan and asked, "And, Soresh?"

The Nausicaan glared at him, for Malcolm had called him by name, and not by "Captain". "I can give you a quarter of the cut."

"Absolutely not acceptable." Malcolm met the glare squarely. "I want Archer."

Soresh glared at him. "No. I captured him and the Klingons want their bounty. You won't cheat me of my prize."

"Oh no?" Malcolm asked, his tone dangerous. "Is that why you're here in the first place?"

Soresh smirked. "It's reason enough."

Malcolm inclined his head and studied the Nausicaan, who paled visibly under the scrutiny. Hawkins played the role of bodyguard to the hilt, as he crept up behind Soresh with his EM-33 at hand. Bernhard took up a position directly behind Malcolm.

"I have people watching me," Soresh said. "They'll cut you and your men down before you can get off a single shot—" He actually took a step back at Malcolm's glower. "And you won't be able to _find_ Archer. I have him hidden so well that even my own _men_ can't detect him."

"Indeed?" Malcolm said, his voice chilly. "A challenge, is it, then?" Malcolm shot both Hawkins and Bernhard a look of amusement. Bernhard chuckled evily, causing Soresh to pale even further. "If I find Archer in the next ten minutes, he becomes mine."

"Ten minutes." Soresh repeated, his eyes widening. "You can't do that."

"Watch me." Malcolm glanced at Bernhard, who went over to the intercom. Bernhard nodded and Malcolm continued, "Malcolm to Cutler."

The response was immediate. "Cutler," she replied.

"Our 'friend' here thinks we can't find his hidden prize, namely Archer. I want your help."

Liz laughed, and Malcolm could picture her shaking her head in mirth. "You want a thermobiomedical scan, then?"

"Use their own Sickbay sensors, narrowest scan you can manage." Malcolm kept eye contact with Soresh, who opened his mouth to protest. Hawkins put the barrel of an EM-33 at the side of the Nausicaan's neck, and Soresh clamped his mouth shut.

"Give me a moment...there are clusters of the crew scattered all over the ship...I assume our 'friend' would have Archer in isolation?"

"He bragged that even his own men wouldn't be able to find him. The sod." Malcolm made a show of looking at the chronometer on his wrist. "Seven minutes left."

"I believe I've found him," Liz said, half a minute later. She rattled off some coordinates; Malcolm recognized them and nodded. "Do you need anything else, Malcolm?"

"That will be all. Oh, and Cutler—I believe there's a supply of those dainty confections you are fond of hidden in Crew Quarters C-8A."

Liz made a delighted noise, then trilled, "I'm on my way. Out."

Malcolm cocked his head at the Nausicaan. "Bring him," he ordered brusquely, "and make sure he doesn't try to do anything like set off any hidden bombs or anything uncivilized like that."

* * *

Exactly six minutes and thirty seconds later, Malcolm opened the door to Deck G, Quartermaster's Supply Room. There, in the corner, tied up with cord and a strip of duck tape over his mouth, was Captain Jonathan Archer. Archer's eyes widened in recognition and he tried to say something, but his words were muffled under the tape.

_Thank God. He would've blown the entire plan. _Malcolm saw that the captain was in one piece and in fairly good condition, if you ignored the fact that he had been tied up wearing his skivvies. It reminded Malcolm of the time he and Trip had been tied up in a basement on Risa. Despite himself, he couldn't help but smirk.

He turned to Soresh, whose face was infused with anger. "I believe I won the challenge."

"He's _mine_!" the Nausicaan howled. "You can't have him!"

Malcolm rolled his eyes. "Mister Hawkins, will you please do the honors?"

"With pleasure, sir." The young MACO gave Soresh a quick love tap with the butt of his EM-33, and the Nausicaan fell like a stone.

"Use the ropes to tie Soresh up," Malcolm instructed, as he deftly untied the knots holding Archer captive. After all, he _was _an Eagle Scout, and trained in nautical knots to boot. "Bernhard, find something to keep him quiet. I wish I had Liz here; she could've given him a hypospray." He gave Archer an apologetic look. "Sorry, sir." He pulled the tape from Archer's face in one quick motion and Archer yelped.

"Malcolm! How did you get on board? Is everyone all right?" The captain rubbed his wrists, then decided his jaw hurt more.

"It's quite a story, sir," Malcolm apologized.

"Did you raid a clothing store on Risa?"

"No, just Commander Tucker's closet." The unexpected reply brought a laugh from Archer and Malcolm smirked again. "Major Hayes's group is helping to free the rest of the group and capturing the Nausicaans."

"Good. They attacked us not long after your teams left on the training exercise. Somehow, they managed to beam on board and gas the Bridge crew unconscious. For a group of pirates who usually barrels their way down your throats with pure force, they caught us off guard with their tactics." Archer scowled. "I overheard something about their having trouble getting the crew under control."

Bernhard nodded and said, "Not surprising, sir."

Archer tried to stand, but his legs still wouldn't support him. Hawkins caught him before he fell back down. "Thank you, Corporal."

"No problem, sir," Hawkins said, blushing at the praise.

"Let's get you to Sickbay, sir. Crewman Cutler and Phlox are already there."

"I've got to help retake the ship—"

"Begging your pardon, sir, you're in no condition to play pirate." Malcolm shook his head. "Come on, let's get you out of here before Soresh's people find out you're gone. Is Soresh secure, Bernhard?"

The Bavarian nodded. "He's not going anywhere, Lieutenant."

"Let's go." Malcolm covered them as Hawkins and Bernhard supported Archer on either side. He breathed a sigh of relief. At least the captain was safe. Now he needed to rid _Enterprise_ of the Nausicaans once and for all. As if on cue, they all felt a tremble through the deck and the com erupted in chaos.

"What's going on?" Archer demanded.

Malcolm replied, "Just a minor glitch. I'm sure it'll correct itself momentarily."

* * *

Hoshi nodded at Sergeant Nate Kemper, who punched the access code into the door of the Observation Lounge. The MACO stuck his head in and said, "Cavalry's here, folks. Everyone all right?" 

There were a few negative responses, so Hoshi moved to the wall intercom. "Sato to Sickbay."

"Phlox here."

She smiled at the Denobulan's voice. "We've got some injured crew in the Observation Lounge, Doctor."

"I'm on my way, Ensign. Phlox, out."

She exchanged grins with Kemper. They'd relayed false information to the Nausicaans and the "pirates" through the cross-patches in the comm system. Basically, Malcolm's and Hayes's teams were giving the Nausicaans the runaround while she and the other crew freed those who were still being held prisoner. The _Enterprise _crew were more than eager to find the Nausicaans and break their hold on the ship. Hoshi listened to the frantic demands for backup, the sounds of desperate Nausicaans trying to stand their ground, the cheers of the crew as they retook Engineering, the Armory, Astrometrics, auxiliary communications...

"The Nausicaans still have the Bridge, ma'am," Kemper said, "and we still don't know where they've hidden the captain."

Hoshi nodded. "C'mon, Nathan. Let's find Captain Archer first, then we'll gather a group together to retake the bridge."

"Yes, ma'am." Kemper grinned and added, "Would you consider switching into the MACOs, ma'am? We can sure use you."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. The firefight on the Engineering deck had given her plenty of cover to make her escape from Engineering. Of course, with the smoke and the chaos, she hadn't been able to see anything, and she'd run straight into—someone. She hadn't known who it was until the deck had reeled under a second explosion and---

_It was an _accident_. The last thing I wanted was to do was liplock with "Horrible Hayes". _She winced and the color rose in her cheeks. Of course, she spent a lot of time trying to convince herself that it was an "accident". At first, she'd thought it had been someone like Travis, or Rostov or even (she winced again) Kelby. Even if it had been _Gunny_, she'd be able to get over the embarrassment. She'd fled the first chance she had gotten; luckily, Hayes hadn't followed her.

_He didn't know it was me. That's the only saving grace. _She sighed again. _Then again, it probably shocked him as much as it did me. And since no one saw me, I don't think anyone's going to tell Malcolm. He'd go ballistic if he ever found out. _The last thing she wanted was to add more fuel to their feud, especially after what she'd heard over the comm. Trip had made some comment about how she could probably beat the crap out of both of them, since neither man had been successful in knocking sense into each other.

_The testosterone's already a bit much. I don't need to stoke _that _particular fire. _

"I'm not sure the MACOs need linguists, Nate," she said lightly. "We need to find out where the captain is, and we can do that using the internal sensors. Come on."

They rounded the corner...and ran directly into laser fire. Kemper went down before he could shoot back; Hoshi caught a stun bolt in the shoulder. She crashed onto the deck, the breath knocked out of her. _Ouch, _she thought. _Stupid, stupid...watch where you're going...sorry, Nate..._

A pair of hands grabbed her by the front of her jumpsuit and hoisted her into the air. "So, what have we got here?" sneered a Nausicaan. "A little long-haired rat. Pretty little thing, though. Perhaps we can have a bit of fun while we still can, eh?"

Raucous laughter made Hoshi feel sick. She still couldn't move her right arm, but she could still kick. She swiftly brought her leg back and drove her knee into the Nausicaan's midsection. He howled and dropped her like a sack of potatoes. Her body automatically tucked into a roll, just like in the aikido dojo. The movement made her dizzy and threw off her sense of direction. Another hand grabbed her hair and jerked her head back, but then it let go. She heard the crunch of a broken wrist and arm and the Nausicaan's agonized howl. The gorge rose in her throat, but she forced it down.

Another pair of strong arms enfolded her. "Ensign? Ensign? Are you all right?"

She blinked and tried to refocus her addled thoughts. "I—" She turned her head towards the voice...then realized her lips were inches away from the speaker's. "Um—"

"Hoshi?" That was Travis, who knelt at her side. He exchanged concerned looks with Major Hayes, who, she noticed, hadn't let her go yet. "C'mon, talk to us."

"I'm...okay," she whispered. She looked into Hayes's eyes and saw a mixture of relief, anger, concern, and...she managed to turn her head to address Travis. "Nate?"

"He'll have a hell of a headache when he wakes up, but he'll be okay," Gunny answered. He was giving her a strange look that she didn't know how to interpret.

Hoshi struggled to sit up. "The captain—?"

"He's all right. Malcolm found him," Travis said. "We were on our way to the Bridge. The Nausicaans have barricaded themselves up there...we're gonna flush them out."

"Then what are we waiting for?" She struggled to her feet, despite Hayes's efforts to keep her still. "Let's go."

"Ensign, you've been hit by a stun bolt—"

"I'm fine, Major," she snapped, more abruptly than she meant.

"You should go to Sickbay—"

She exploded in anger and annoyance, and the words spilled out of her before she could stop them. "_Dammit_, Matthew! I said I'm _fine_! I'm not a weak damsel in distress, and I'm not a _prize _to be argued over, either from _you_ or Malcolm. I'm going to the Bridge—someone has to unlock the communications systems. So, either you let me go or I _will _finish what Malcolm started and do more than just detach your retina! Do I make myself clear?"

Travis's jaw went slack. MacKenzie and Money gave her looks of respect, while Gunny just stared at her. Hayes, for his part, clenched his jaw and let go of her arm. Kelby's eyes were wide with fear and Rostov looked plain terrified.

Hoshi took a deep breath and shook the feeling back into her arm. She refused to look directly at Hayes. "Let's go."

As they made their way to the lift, Gunny said quietly, "Small, slight and feisty brunette beauty, eh?"

"Shut up, Gunny," Hayes growled.


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: Don't own 'em, don't make money off 'em.**

**Notes: This is the last chapter, where they retake the Bridge...and both Malcolm and Hayes each make a decision that will affect their relationships with Hoshi.**

**Thank you to all my readers and reviewers! You have all been AWESOME:)**

**Rating: T

* * *

**

**Seven**

"You can hear what's going on from this console," Malcolm assured Captain Archer, as he made some adjustments to the screen next to Archer's biobed. "If something happens, you can contact me directly through my communicator."

"Thank you, Malcolm," Archer said. It was the only way that the captain would agree to stay in Sickbay. Of course, Phlox adamantly refused to allow him to accompany the "pirates" to the Bridge, but as long as Archer _believed_ he was helping, it would make him feel "necessary". Malcolm knew the sentiment, so he made sure that the comm circuit worked the way it was supposed to.

"Cargo Bay One to Phlox. Doctor, we need some help down here."

Phlox nodded at Crewman Paulsen, who grabbed several medkits. "Crewman Doering, Ensign Breyer, accompany Crewman Paulsen to the Cargo Bay."

"Yes, Doctor," and both men followed Paulsen at a run. Phlox directed the medical teams where they were needed most, like a general on the field. The Denobulan's calm and professional attitude made a remarkable impression on Malcolm; after all, Phlox had been a military man himself, at one point in time.

_Where _is_ Hoshi? _He wondered. Archer had told him she'd left the Bridge moments before it had been gassed. He hadn't seen her at all. He hoped she was all right.

"You'll let me know once the Bridge is secure?"

"The very moment, Captain," Malcolm reassured him for the thousandth time. He pointed at the access ladder with his chin. "They'll expect us to use the lift. Let's surprise them, shall we?"

So his "pirates" clambered up the five decks, from E Deck to A Deck. Malcolm pulled himself up, muscles aching from the exertion. He tapped the control to the emergency hatch, but it only buzzed back. "I'm locked out. They've changed the code."

"Allow me, sir," said Crewman Sean McIntyre. Malcolm squeezed out of the way so the Engineering crewman had access to the panel. He glanced at his merry "band"; every member wore the same expression of determination. Malcolm didn't have to ask; they all knew they duty.

"Think we can keep the get-ups after all this is over?" Cutler teased. She shrugged her delicate shoulders, causing the tight bodice to slide with her movement. Hawkins visibly gulped and looked away.

"Why? You got somethin' in mind for it?" Hess piped up.

"Maybe," Liz replied with a wink. "What do you think, Anna?"

The engineer pretended to think it over, then said slowly, "Hmmm...I _might_ have some accessories in my wardrobe that could match really well with—"

"_Gott in Himmel!" _Bernhard burst out. "That is too much information, Anna! We do _not_ need to know that!"

"Just kidding, Bernhard," Anna told the glowering Bavarian. "I wouldn't want to offend your delicate sensibilities."

"_My _delicate sensibilities?"

They all laughed, even as Bernhard turned bright scarlet. "All right," Malcolm said, bringing some levity back to the situation. "Let's finish this, shall we. Mister McIntyre?"

"Almost have it, sir." McIntyre nodded at the Armory Officer and added, "Five seconds. Five, four, three, two...one!"

The panel slid open and they all burst onto the Bridge. Every station was manned by a Nausicaan: Tactical, helm, navigation, engineering, communications and others shouting and growling to each other. Most of the Bridge functions were frozen; from his vantage point, Malcolm saw that warp was off line, and that all outgoing communications were jammed. _Hoshi and Trip_, he thought.

"We can't get any of the controls to work, Soresh!" the one at the helm burst out in frustration. "They've managed to lock us out!"

"Soresh is taking a bit of a nap," Malcolm replied icily. The other Nausicaans looked up from the stations and before they could react, the doors to the lift blew open, and Hayes's group poured out. Malcolm saw Hoshi duck under a Nausicaan's wild punch, then drive her fist into her attacker's side. He smiled inwardly, _Good girl. That's the way to do it. _

The Nausicaans knew they were surrounded, but they refused to give up. One of them pulled out a rifle and pointed it at the captain's chair. He squeezed the trigger, engulfing Archer's seat in a mess of sparks and smoke. Then he pointed it towards the Tactical station. Gunny and Hawkins immediately tackled the Nausciaan down to the deck, while Travis kicked the rifle out of the way and slid into the helm chair at the same time.

Anna Hess and Sean McIntyre were at the Engineering station, while Hoshi was at Communications. She caught Malcolm's eye and smiled, then turned her attention back to her console. Bernhard gave Malcolm a quick thumbs-up, indicating the weapons had been secured.

The MACOs made short work of the Nausicaans on the lower deck, but one of them threw Gunny bodily out of the way, who landed on McKenzie and Money in an undignified sprawl. He grabbed a knife and threw it...

"No!" Hayes shouted. He grabbed his blaster and squeezed off a shot that struck the Nausicaan in the face, as Malcolm tackled Hoshi out of her chair and they both hit the deck. Malcolm, Cutler and Travis were at their side immediately. Hoshi clawed her hair out of her eyes, then started as she saw blood on her hands.

"No, not me!" she shouted at Cutler. Tears filled her eyes and streamed down her face. She crawled over to Malcolm's side. "Malcolm! You idiot, talk to me!"

Hayes heard the anguish in her voice and throttled down a surge of jealousy. He looked down to see the hilt of the Nausicaan knife lodged in the lieutenant's right side, between his ribs. Malcolm Reed's face was pale with shock, but his eyes were calm, accepting.

"You were a bit slow, Lieutenant," Hayes teased gently, but he felt his voice catch in his throat. He didn't have to look at Cutler to know it was bad, really bad.

Malcolm glared at him and mouthed something that needed no translation. Then Malcolm turned his head and smiled at Hoshi. "Worth...it...though."

"Don't close your eyes, Lieutenant," Hayes growled as he shook Malcolm's shoulder. "Don't just give up on us."

"Hang on, Malcolm," Cutler told him. Tears fell from her eyes as she worked. "I'm trying to stabilize you. Phlox is coming..." She glanced at Hayes. "Major Hayes, sir, put your hand here and press _hard._"

Hayes nodded and swallowed his nausea as he did as she asked. He deliberately averted his eyes from the wound in Reed's side. Then he felt a small hand atop his; Hoshi had slid her hand on his and also pressed down. He managed a smile at her.

"Keep talking to him," Cutler instructed. "Malcolm, you're B-positive, right?" At his weak nod, she looked up at a pale-faced Hawkins. "Let Sickbay know to prep for immediate surgery, Corporal and make sure we've got a full stock of B-positive." Hawkins nodded and went to do as she asked.

"If you need any blood, I'm B-positive," Hayes told her.

"Just what I need," Malcolm joked weakly. "_Your_ blood in _my_ veins. I wouldn't be able to get rid of you even if I wanted to."

"I'll make sure you're stuck with me," Hayes joked back. _Where the hell is Phlox?_ He thought. There was weak laughter among the MACOs and the _Enterprise _crew, but they were all beginning to wonder the same thing.

"Looks like...you've won... the challenge," Malcolm whispered, his eyes starting to close. "I—"

"How many times to I have to tell you..._I don't want your job_," Hayes said, every word hard and biting. "When will that sink through your thick British skull and not come out of your ass?"

Hoshi elbowed him viciously. "Stop it, Matthew. Just stop it."

"No, he's right." Malcolm took a deep breath. "Truce."

"Truce," Hayes replied, his voice suddenly soft. He glanced at Hoshi's tear-stained face and he sighed. _I wonder if she knows that she loves him yet or if she's completely unaware of it. The latter, I'd guess. _His heart was bruised, but he hid a secret smile as he caught another whiff of Hoshi's floral perfume. Accident or not, fate or not, he would treasure that memory for the rest of his life.

Then Phlox finally appeared and shooed everyone away. "Major, Ensign Mayweather, Gunny, Corporal Hawkins, can you all lift the lieutenant onto the gurney?"

Hayes nodded and motioned for the other men to help. They moved an unconscious Malcolm onto the gurney as gently as they could, but despite Cutler's efforts, there was a disturbing amount of blood on the deck and on Hayes's clothes. Malcolm clung to Hoshi's hand like a lifeline and Hayes didn't have the heart to order her away. Phlox nodded at him with complete understanding.

"Go with him, Hoshi," the major whispered. "He needs you."

She gave him a grateful smile, tiptoed and kissed him on the cheek. Then she followed Phlox and the others into the lift. Hayes sighed again and shook his head, then said, "Tell Captain Archer, Sub-Commander T'Pol and Commander Tucker the Bridge is secure. And Mister Mayweather—"

"Major?"

"I believe you're the ranking senior officer on the Bridge right now. Just don't fly us into an asteroid."

Mayweather grinned and said, "Don't worry, Major. I'll be careful."

* * *

Captain Archer's Log:

Life has returned to "normal" on _Enterprise_, at least as normal as it can be. The Nausicaans have been taken off the ship and into custody. Actual damage to the ship has been minimal, if you don't count the captain's chair. Trip jokes that now he has the opportunity to redesign my chair again, instead of just lowering it a few centimeters. I shudder to think of the vibrating massager, the cupholder, and God knows what else he has in mind.

Malcolm's still recovering in Sickbay. Hoshi told me how he had thrown himself in the path of a Nausicaan knife meant for her, saving her life. It really doesn't surprise me that he did that; I have a sneaking suspicion that our intrepid Armory officer may have more than just a crush on our communications officer.

Travis is in the process of taking inventory of the cargo of the Nausicaan ship and they're locating the owners of the stolen loot. I think Travis feels better by helping the authorities do this. Being a Boomer who's tangled with the pirates before, he can fully understand and appreciate it.

I've read the reports on the "pirate operation" and it all sounds like some sort of thing you'd see on Movie Night. But I've put commendations in the files of all who were involved in saving the _Enterprise_, including Major Hayes and his MACOs.

* * *

"...Trip's almost done with the captain's chair," Hoshi said and Malcolm listened as he perused hie PADD. "I think the captain's paranoid about what Trip's put in it." 

"I still believe he should've kept the seatbelts, though," Malcolm muttered. "It would've made more sense than a bloody cupholder."

Hoshi chuckled and resolutely plucked the PADD out of his hand. "I never did thank you for saving my life, Malcolm."

"I couldn't just stand by and do nothing," Malcolm pointed out with a smile. "And I have to admit that the MACOs were exemplary; they performed their duty with panache. At least, as much as could be done while flapping around in silks and gold—"

"Liz, Sascha and Fiona kept their pirate gear. I asked Travis if he could find me a set—"\

Malcolm choked at the mental image of Hoshi in silk and leather. She glanced up at him with sparkling wicked eyes. "Ah—you did?"

"It'd be good for the next Halloween party. I've got some accessories in my closet that would go really well with—"

Malcolm groaned and shut his eyes tight as she laughed. "What? Are you all right, Malcolm?"

"Fine," he squeaked. "Just fine." He opened one eye, then said, "I never meant to imply you were a 'weak damsel in distress'. Just the opposite. You're full of surprises, Hoshi Sato."

Her grin widened as she thought, _So are you, Malcolm Reed. So are you.

* * *

_Major Matthew Hayes crept into Sickbay to hear voices and laughter floating from the cordoned-off biobed. He grinned as he heard Malcolm Reed say, "You're full of surprises, Hoshi Sato."

_Yes, you definitely are, Hoshi_. He glanced around to make sure no one saw him, then blew her a kiss in her direction. _Our secret will stay a secret. I'll never tell. _

Then he turned and walked out of Sickbay.

* * *

Hoshi raised a hand to her flushed cheek. Her hearing had picked up the sounds of someone coming in, a soft breath of promise, then someone leaving. No matter what happened in the Expanse, she knew she had two warriors who were willing to fight at her side...both with a touch of a pirate within him. 


End file.
